California Couple Pleads Not Guilty in $5.2M Medicare Fraud Case Linked to Fake Hospice Claims

A Southern California couple arrested on charges of health care fraud has pleaded not guilty. 66-year-old psychologist Gladwin Gill and his 70-year-old wife, nurse Amelou Gill, were taken into custody at their Covina home on April 2, 2026.

The couple has been accused of defrauding Medicare of millions of dollars by submitting false hospice services claims. According to the Department of Justice, the Gills owned 626 Hospice Inc., a hospice care facility in Glendale. The facility operated under the name St. Francis Palliative Care.

The duo allegedly sought $5.2 million in Medicare funds, claiming patient need. However, most of these patients were not actually dying and did not require hospice care. The Gills received over $4 million through these claims and allegedly used the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the patient mortality rate at 626 Hospice Inc. was just 2.3% over the last five years. Court documents suggest that investigators reached out to 22 people named as beneficiaries of the Medicare services billed by the Gills. None of them was found to be terminally ill.

Prosecutors allege the couple used Medicare funds to pay their mortgage, buy luxury cars, take international trips, and dine at expensive restaurants. Gladwin also met several high-profile figures because of his wealth. On his social media accounts, he has posted pictures with George Clooney, Mario Lopez, and even former President George W. Bush.

The FBI raided the Gills' home as part of Operation Never Say Die, a federal crackdown on an alleged widespread hospice care fraud scheme in Southern California. Six other individuals were also arrested in connection with the operation on the same day. The DOJ says more than $50 million was defrauded from the health care system in Southern California.

On April 28, Gladwin and Amelou appeared in a downtown Los Angeles court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Gladwin is represented by a private attorney, while Amelou is represented by a public defender. Their trial is scheduled to begin on June 15 and continue for three weeks.

Notably, the Gills were previously investigated for alleged health care fraud in 2022, but no action was taken against them at the time. The DOJ has blamed the Biden administration for failing to pursue the investigation.

“Nothing happened with these cases. Nothing’s happened with fraud under the prior administration, and you’ll have to ask them why, but presumably, it just wasn’t a priority,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement to The Post.

Essayli also highlighted that the government will no longer tolerate fraud. “We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for criminals who defraud American taxpayers. The defendants who are charged with stealing millions of dollars of health care benefits got caught and now face years in federal prison,” he said in an official statement.